Telescopic sight having fast reticle adjustment

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a long-range optical device, in particular a telescopic sight  1,  with at least one objective lens  2  and at least one eyepiece  3  and with an adjustable reticle  6  arranged between the objective lens  2  and the eyepiece, wherein the reticle  6  is coupled to a manually operable fast reticle adjustment, wherein a display device  14  is arranged in the field of view of the long-range optical device  1,  through which a distance value set by a setting device  4, 15  of the fast reticle adjustment can be read when using the long-range optical device  1.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/904,389 filed Jan. 11, 2016, granted as U.S. Pat. No. 10,072,907;which is a U.S. national stage entry of International Application No.PCT/DE2014/000359 filed Jul. 15, 2014, which claims priority to GermanPatent Application No. 10 2013 012 257.0 filed Jul. 24, 2013. Thecontents of these applications are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety as if set forth verbatim.

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to a long-range optical device, in particular atelescopic sight with at least one objective lens and at least oneeyepiece. Between the objective lens and the eyepiece telescopic sightshave an adjustable reticle, which means an aiming aid in the form ofcrosshairs, an illuminated cross, illuminated points and the like;coupling the reticle with what is known as a fast reticle adjustmentthat can be adjusted manually by the operating person is already known.The fast reticle adjustment allows the reticle to be adjusted todifferent shooting distances, for example 100 m, 150 m, 200 m, 250 m,300 m etc., so that when making long shots the shooter does not have totake aim above the target, but can aim “point-blank” at the desiredtarget with the reticle. A “point-blank” shot is fired in that, forexample, the crosshairs of the reticle are aimed precisely at the pointof the object that is to be shot, and the shot is then fired off in thisposition. Without a fast reticle adjustment, the shooter must take aimabove the intended impact point, which is usually associated with anestimation and therefore with high uncertainty.

In fast reticle adjustments the height of the reticle in the opticalchannel of the telescopic sight is modified, and in that way adjustedfor the respective distance to be shot. The adjustment is made dependingon a scale that is attached to a manual operating element, usually a capor a ring of an adjustment turret. After zeroing in the weapon and thesighting equipment with a particular type of munition, the scale isusually applied permanently to the actuating element or the actuatingring, for example being engraved. If the munition is changed, forexample from a heavier bullet to a lighter bullet with an elongatedtrajectory, the distance information on the adjusting element of thefast reticle adjustment is no longer correct; either re-engraving isrequired, or an alternative marking applied in the form of an adhesivetape or the like, which can then be labeled.

Telescopic sights are also known to the prior art which have anintegrated distance-measuring system, and whose reticle, in the form ofelectronic points, is changed depending on the measured distance. Intelescopic sights of that sort with integrated laser distancemeasurement, the distance value is indicated by a numerical display inthe field of view of the telescopic sight. The type of bullet can beretrieved from a table of a processor stored in the telescopic sight,and in that way the adjustment of the electronic reticle in the form ofilluminated points positioned above one another can be adjusted to themeasured distance.

Separate distance-measuring units are also known to the prior art, andare employed by the user in addition to a telescopic sight.Distance-measuring units of the known type are implemented either asmonocular or as binocular telescopes, and supply an exact distancemeasurement to an intended target at the push of a button.

Telescopic sights with an integrated distance-measuring system arerelatively voluminous and heavy, and have a not insignificant, andtherefore negative, effect on the weight of a weapon. They are,furthermore, relatively delicate and expensive.

The invention/innovation is based on the object of further developing along-range optical device in the form of a telescopic sight with thefeatures of the preamble to claim 1 in such a way that it is easy tooperate and ensures a reliable firing of hits over relatively largedistances even under relatively poor light conditions. This object isachieved in that a display device is arranged in the field of view ofthe long-range optical device by means of which the distance value setby a setting device of the fast reticle adjustment can be read whenusing the long-range optical device. Advantageous developments emergefrom the subsidiary claims.

As the core of the invention it is proposed that a display device isarranged in the field of view of the long-range optical device which,depending on an actuation of an input element of the fast reticleadjustment when using the telescopic sight, displays the set distancevalue to the user. This overcomes the disadvantage that, as duskapproaches, a shooter can often no longer read the engraved distancevalues on the adjusting element of the fast reticle adjustment, and thusoften no longer knows accurately whether the fast reticle adjustment isnow set for 150 m, 200 m or 250 m. If it is necessary to readjust thefast reticle adjustment under poor light conditions, this is often nolonger possible without the assistance of a separate lamp. When hunting,however, the use of a lamp discloses to the game that a hunter is in thehide, and has the result that the game bolts from the shooting area.

In an advantageous development, the display device can be analphanumeric display device, in particular an electronic display devicecontrolled by a processor. With a display device of this sort it ispossible to design the display in illuminated form, i.e. readable evenin darkness, and for example to display at the same time otherparameters such as a firing angle above or below that make a furthercorrection of the impact point necessary. The display of the displaydevice is made depending on a result computed by the processor, intowhich ballistic data of the bullet being used or of the cartridges beingused can also be entered, wherein the data can be stored in the memoryof the whole device. A table selection function can be used to accessstored data, so that the input is relatively simple. It is also,however, possible to provide a memory apparatus in the processor, inwhich a correction table is stored whose correction data is linked inthe processor with distance values that are entered. The correction datacan be the data of a special bullet, and can supply to the processorinformation about what is known as the external ballistics of a bullet.

Implementing the setting device as a rotating element arranged on aturret of the long-range optical device, for example as a ring, whoserotation effects a height adjustment of the reticle, is known inprinciple, wherein the element interacts with an electromechanicalrotation transducer that is connected to a processor input for inputtingthe distance value. If the ring is turned, then the display device movesupwards and downwards in the field of view, and indicates for example175 m, whereby it is no longer necessary to provide any information inthe region of the input device. This advantageously means that when abullet is changed, access only has to be made to the new, in particularstored, electronic data relating to a new type of bullet, and amechanical change, in particular re-engraving an input element on theadjustment turret of the fast reticle adjustment, is not necessary.

It is in principle also possible for the setting device to be designedas a button device with at least one button. When a button is pressed,the display device shows, for example, the last distance in the field ofview, or starts at a distance of 100 m, and can be adjusted upwardsand/or downwards from there until the appropriate distance that the userhas determined to the target by means of a separate distance-measuringunit, or can estimate relatively reliably on the basis of informationabout the terrain, is displayed to the user.

As an alternative to a display in meters, it is also possible for adisplay to be made in clicks, for example as the interpretation: turnthe fast reticle adjustment 6 clicks to the left, and then the exactdistance is set.

The processor of the apparatus can also be connected to an electronicreceiving device, for example a Bluetooth interface, which reacts todata containing distance information transmitted from a separatedistance-measuring unit. If, for example, a hand-held distance-measuringunit is used which is switched on in order to determine the distance toa target, then a distance read in the distance-measuring unit (190 m,for example) is transmitted as distance information to the receivinginterface of the long-range optical device that is connected to theprocessor. With the aid of the setting device, the distance is thentracked using the rotating adjusting element or button, until thetransmitted value (190 m) agrees with the set value of 190 m. For aslong as the manually set value is above the transmitted value, thereadable value on the display device appears, for example, colored red,and on agreement the color changes to green, indicating to the shooterthat his fast reticle adjustment is correctly set.

It is also, however, possible, for the separate distance-measuringsystem to result automatically in an electromechanical adjustment of thereticle in the long-range optical device, and the operating person onlyhas to make corrections through the actuating element.

In a development of the invention it is moreover possible that,depending on a distance value set through the fast reticle adjustment ortransmitted by a third party device, the nature or shape of the visiblereticle is changed. At shorter shooting distances the reticle can, forexample, be shown as a reticle of illuminated points, while at longershooting distances a finer, cross-like reticle can be displayed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail in terms of advantageousexemplary embodiments in the figures of the drawing. Here:

FIG. 1 shows a telescopic sight with fast reticle adjustment in a firstembodiment according to the prior art,

FIG. 2 shows a view of an image plane,

FIG. 3 shows a known display of a field of view,

FIG. 4 shows a telescopic sight according to the invention in a firstembodiment,

FIG. 5 shows a display of a field of view according to the invention,

FIG. 6 shows a telescopic sight according to the invention in a secondembodiment, and

FIG. 7 shows a telescopic sight according to the invention in a thirdembodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a telescopic sight 1 with an objective lens 2, and eyepiece3, an setting device in the form of a turret 4 and a first image plane 5in which the reticle 6 is displayed according to FIG. 2.

If the turret 4 is turned in the direction of the arrow 7, the reticle 6is adjusted, as shown in

FIG. 2, along the arrow 8, i.e. turning the turret 4 causes the heightof the reticle 6 to be adjusted.

It is necessary to adjust the height of the reticle 6 for the followingreasons:

The telescopic sight 1 provides a straight sighting line, whereas thebullet fired by the weapon on which the telescopic sight 1 is mountedflies along a parabolic flight path. The straight sighting line and theparabolic flight path cross at two points, wherein the second point,more remote from the shooter, is referred to as the most favorableshooting distance (GGE). A point-blank shot without height correction ofthe reticle 6 is thus only possible for one particular bullet and oneparticular distance, since the kind of bullet affects the profile of theparabolic flight path, and the sighting line and of the flight path onlycoincide at one point. The first crossing point can be ignored here.

It is possible through adjusting the height of the reticle 6 to changethe sighting line such that the sighting line and the flight path, i.e.the second crossing point, come together at different distances. In thisway it is possible to avoid the need to take aim above the target atlarge distances.

It is therefore known to arrange a reference marking 9 on the rotatingpart 19 of the turret 4 which can be turned with respect to the distancemarkings 10, wherein turning the rotating part 19 of the turret 4entails an adjustment of the height of the reticle 6 in the image plane5, which is located in the field of view of the telescopic sight 1, inthe direction of the arrow 8.

The adjustment of the height of the reticle 6 must, however, not only beadjusted depending on the distance of the target, but also depending onthe type of bullet. The distance markings shown in FIG. 1 are thereforeonly valid for one single type of bullet, and when a different munitionis used, the arrangement of the distance markings 10 must beappropriately adjusted. The embodiment according to FIG. 1 is thereforeonly suitable for the use of a single type of munition or bullet, forwhich the distance markings have been appropriately arranged.

FIG. 3 shows another known possibility for the display of a reticle 6.In this embodiment, a control device is coupled to a distance-measuringunit; the reticle 6 to be used is displayed illuminated depending on thedistance to the target determined. A large number of aiming aids orreticles 6 are thus displayed in the image plane, and the one to be usedis marked in color. In addition, the display 11 of the measured distanceis found in the image plane 5, so that information about the distance tothe target is additionally given to the shooter. Such implementations ofthe display of the image plane are known, for example, from telescopicsights of the “Ballistic Laser Scope” made by Burris.

A telescopic sight 1 according to FIG. 4 according to the inventiondiffers from this in that the adjustment turret 4 no longer requires anyreference markings 9 or distance markings 10, but instead comprises arotation transducer 12 for transmitting the set reference distance orthe sighting line of the telescopic sight. As already described above,the crossing point of the sighting line and of the flight path of thebullet also depends on the type of bullet, for which reason the samesetting of the turret 4 gives rise to crossing points at differentdistances for different types of bullet.

The crossing points therefore have to be converted to the munition inuse on the basis of a reference munition or of a reference distance.

FIG. 5 shows a corresponding display 5 in the first or also the secondimage plane, both of which are located in the field of view of thetelescopic sight 1. On the basis of the signal from the rotationtransducer 12, a control device 13 in the form of a processorcalculates, depending on the type of bullet that is entered or thecurrent type of bullet, the distance at which the sighting line and theflight path of the bullet cross, i.e. the most favorable shootingdistance, depending on the rotation setting of the turret 4 and of themunition being shot. The control device 13 accesses the data stored inthe memory apparatus 20 for this purpose. On the basis of thisinformation, the control device 13 calculates the distance value set atthe turret 4, which is displayed on the display device 14. In contrastto the known prior art, the display device 14 therefore does not displaythe measured distance to the target, but the distance set at the turret4, and, in association with this, the most favorable shooting distancewhich, however, is initially fully independent of the location of thetarget that is intended or is to be intended. The shooter hasinformation about the setting of the turret 4 for this purpose at alltimes.

It is, here, normally the case that a hunter or other shooter does notcontinuously change the type of munition, but usually makes use of astandard munition. Once this standard munition has been chosen, thedisplay device 14 displays the most favorable shooting distance for themunition being used. This depends, of course, on the rotary setting ofthe turret 4, and therefore on the height adjustment of the reticle 6.

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a telescopic sight 1 according tothe invention, in which the setting device is implemented as a buttondevice 15 with two buttons 16 and 17. Adjusting the height of thereticle 6 is done depending on actuation of the buttons 16 and 17,wherein a marking of the button 16 with a “+” character, and the button17 with a “−” character is to be understood to mean that by pressing thebutton 16 the most favorable shooting distance is increased, and that bypressing the button 17 a corresponding reduction takes place, wherein bypressing the button 16 the reticle 6 is lowered. A reticle 6 in a lowerposition namely has the effect of shifting the sighting line, and thusof causing the shooter to raise the weapon that is connected to thetelescopic sight 1.

The adjustment of the height of the reticle 6 is done depending onactuation of the buttons 16 and 17 mechanically or electrically, whereinsetting pulses for determining the distance value depending on actuationof the buttons 16 and 17 are passed to the input of the control device13.

Instead of two buttons 16 and 17, the button device 15 may also befitted with a rocker switch, a rotary control knob or any other switchdesign that allows signals to be transmitted of such a type that thesetting value is raised and lowered again. In contrast to the turret 4described above, the rotary control knob has a latching centre positionto which the switch is also returned, and wherein the rotary controlknob can be turned from this central position in a clockwise oranticlockwise direction, so that a reduction or increase in the distancevalue can be transmitted as a signal.

FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of the telescopic sight 1 according tothe invention, in which a distance-measuring unit 18 can be connected tothe telescopic sight 1, in particular by means of a Bluetoothconnection. The distance-measuring unit 18, which preferably operates ona laser basis, transmits the measured target distance as a signal to thetelescopic sight 1 or to a reception unit of the control device 13. Thetarget distance determined by the distance-measuring unit can beutilized in several ways.

In a first embodiment, the distance value displayed in the displaydevice 14 can be displayed in a first color, green for example, when thetarget distance determined by the distance-measuring unit 18 differsfrom the displayed and set distance value by no more than apredetermined threshold value. If the distance value is above or belowthe target distance by the predetermined threshold value, the distancevalue is displayed in a second color, red for example. In order to makeit easier for the shooter to perform the correction of the distancevalue, i.e. the adjustment of the setting device, either of the turret 4or of the button device 15, information regarding the target distance isto be given to the shooter. In the simplest case, the measured targetdistance is displayed in addition to the distance value on the displaydevice 14. Instead, however, triangles can also be used in order toindicate that the distance value needs to be set higher or lower. Atriangle on a side line and with its point upwards here indicates anincrease in the distance value, and a triangle standing on its head withthe point downwards indicates a reduction.

In another embodiment, only the distance value is displayed, whereinwhen the target distance is exceeded a second color is used in order todisplay the distance value, and a third color when below the targetdistance. This means, for example, that when the distance value isdisplayed in blue, the distance value is to be reduced, and when thedistance value is displayed in yellow the distance value is to beincreased.

Other color schemes can, of course, be chosen here; what is crucial isthat when a predetermined threshold value is infringed, exceeding orfalling below the threshold value is demonstrated using differentcolors.

The threshold value when exceeding and when falling below can,furthermore, be different; for example it is possible to specify that itis only permitted to fall below the target distance determined by 5 m,but it may be exceeded by 10 m before the distance value is displayed incolors that indicate the need for a correction. What is crucial in thisexemplary embodiment again, is that the distance value illustrated iscorrelated to the set value of the setting device, and not with thetarget distance measured.

LIST OF REFERENCES

-   1 Telescopic sight-   2 Objective lens-   3 Eyepiece-   4 Turret-   5 Image plane-   6 Reticle-   7 Arrow-   8 Arrow-   9 Reference marking-   10 Distance marking-   11 Display of the measured distance-   12 Rotation transducer-   13 Control device-   14 Display device-   15 Button device-   16 Button-   17 Button-   18 Distance-measuring unit-   19 Rotating part-   20 Memory

1. A method of operating a long-range optical device (1) including anelectronic display device (14), comprising executing instructionscontained within a computer readable memory (20) on a processor tooptically display in the electronic display device (14) an agreement ora disagreement between a first distance value to a target obtained froma fast reticle and a second distance value to the target obtained from aseparate distance-measuring unit, wherein the executing instructionsincludes: calculating a difference between the first distance value andthe second distance value and optically displaying the difference in theelectronic display device (14); wherein the difference is displayed asan agreement between the first distance value and the second distancevalue when the difference lies within a predetermined threshold value;and wherein the difference is displayed as a disagreement between thefirst distance value and the second distance value when the differencelies outside the predetermined threshold value.
 2. The method of claim1, further comprising repetitively recalculating the difference betweenthe first distance value and the second distance value upon operation ofa setting device (4, 15) of the fast reticle, and optically displayingthe recalculated difference in the electronic display device (14). 3.The method of claim 1, wherein the display device (14) is analphanumeric display device.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thecomputer readable memory (20) comprises ballistic data of at least onebullet or one cartridge which is linked in the processor (13) with thefirst distance value.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computerreadable memory (20) comprises a correction table comprising correctiondata, which correction data is linked in the processor (13) with thefirst distance value.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the settingdevice (4, 15) is implemented as a rotating element (19) arranged on aturret (4) of the long-range optical device, whose rotation effects aheight adjustment of the reticle (6), wherein the element (19) interactswith an electromechanical rotation transducer (12) that is connected toa processor input for inputting the distance value.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the rotating element (19) is mechanically coupled tothe reticle (6) for adjusting its height.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the setting device (4, 15) is implemented as a button device(15) with at least one button (16, 17), the height adjustment of thereticle (6) is made depending on actuation of the buttons (16, 17)mechanically or using a motor, and setting pulses for input of thedistance value are passed to a processor input depending on an actuationof the buttons (16, 17).
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the opticaldisplay of an agreement or a disagreement is made through a change inthe color viewable in the display device (14), wherein an agreement isrepresented by a first color and a disagreement is represented by asecond color.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical display ofan agreement or a disagreement is made through a separate displayelement.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein an electromechanicaladjustment of the reticle (6) is made immediately through the distancevalues of the separate distance-measuring unit (18) received throughdata transmission.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein a display or shapeof the reticle (6) is changed depending on the distance that is manuallyset or that is set by data transmission.
 13. The method of claim 1,wherein at shorter shooting distances, the reticle (6) can be displayedas a point-reticle, and at longer shooting distances the reticle can bedisplayed as a cross-like reticle.
 14. The method of claim 1, whereinthe processor (13) is connected to a correction input device, throughwhich predetermined fast reticle adjustment values can be corrected. 15.The method of claim 14, wherein the correction input device comprises atleast one input button.
 16. The method of claim 1, the display device(14) or the reticle is arranged in a first or a second image plane. 17.The method of claim 1, wherein the display device (14) or the reticle isarranged on an OLED display.